The Flames That Bind Us
by Isabella Rain
Summary: While Rose is held captive by Stigoi Dimitri, he loses control and sleeps with her. Finally seeing him for the monster he has become, she escapes, staking Dimitri in the process. Still hurting from the pain he inflicted on her, Rose runs to Adrian. But, Dimitri isn't gone and Rose is pregnant and he will stop at nothing to take both of them. Starts at Chap 23 of Blood Promise.
1. Broken

_**Hey guys! Thanks to some inspiration from AriaBelikov, I've decided to write my first VA fanfiction. **_

_**This story starts at the beginning of Chapter 23 while Rose is still being held captive by Dimitri. My story is an alternate ending for the story so the first few chapters will have some excerpts from the book. **_

_**I don't own Richelle Mead's words and the world of VA is hers alone. **_

_**I hope you enjoy and, as always, please review.**_

**The Flames That Bind Us**

**Broken**

I didn't cry very often. And I hated it when I did. The last time I'd done it around Dimitri, his arms had immediately encircled me. This time, all I got was a look of coldness and anger.

"This is your fault!" he yelled, fists clenched.

I cringed backward, eyes wide. "But he… he attacked me…"

"Yes. And Inna. A human! You let a human attack you." He couldn't keep the sneer from his voice. "You are weak. You are incapable of defending yourself-all because you refuse to be awakened!"

His voice was terrifying, and the look he gave me… well, it scared me almost more than Nathan had. Reaching forward, he jerked me up to my feet.

"If you had just been killed, it would have been your own fault," he said. His fingers dug into my wrist as he shook me. "You have the chance for immortality, for incredible strength! And you're too blind and stubborn to see it."

I swallowed back more tears and rubbed my eyes with the back of my free hand. No doubt I was ruining the makeup I'd so painstakingly put on.

My heart was ready to explode out of my chest, I was afraid. I was getting sick to my stomach, independent of Dimitri's proximity. "This is all a mess."

"It doesn't have to be." I didn't think he would shake me again, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. The monster was only a heartbeat away. "Time's running out. I've been lenient, Roza. Far more lenient than I would be with anyone else."

"Why? Why have you done it?" I wanted-needed-then to hear him say it was because he loved me and that because of that love, he could never force me into anything I didn't want. I needed to hear it so that I could blot out that terrifying, furious creature I'd seen a few minutes ago.

"Because I know how you think. And I know awakening you of your own free will would make you a more important ally. You're independent and strong-minded-that's what makes you valuable."

"An ally, huh?"

Not the woman he loved.

He shifted so that his face hovered over mine. "Didn't I tell you once I'd always be there for you? I'm here. I'll protect you. We're going to be together. We're meant to be together. You know this." There was more fierceness in his voice than affection.

He kissed my lips, drawing me close. The usual heat flooded me, my body instantly responding to his. But even as my body did one thing, other thoughts were spinning through my mind. I had always thought we were meant to be together. And he had once told me he'd always be there for me. I'd always wanted that too-but I had wanted to be there for him in return. I wanted us to be equals, always watching each other's backs.

Today hadn't been like that. I'd been defenseless. Weak. Never, never in my life had I been like that. Even in horrible, outmatched moments, I'd put up a decent fight. At the very least, I'd had the will to fight. Not now. I'd been terrified. I'd been ineffectual. I hadn't been able to do anything except sit there pathetically and wait for someone to rescue me. I'd let a human get the best of me.

Dimitri said me becoming Strigoi was the solution. For the last week, he'd said that over and over, and while I hadn't agreed to it, I hadn't been as repulsed as I once had been. Lately, it had become a thought floating around out there, a far-off way for us to be together. And I did want to be together, especially in moments like this, when we kissed and desire crackled around both of us.

Dimitri's hand snaking into my hair pulled me out of my thoughts. His touch was becoming more insistent and forceful. I wrapped my fingers into his hair and pulled myself closer to him, even though that voice in the back of my head screamed louder to stop.

Like the day before, his fingers were running up my bare leg, pushing my skirt up to my hip. Unlike yesterday though, he didn't stop when my hands found their way inside his shirt.

I could feel him growl against my lips as his control finally broke. As quick as lightening, I was on my back on the bed. He had pulled back from me and was now looking down at me, the same dark look in his eyes that he'd had while he was fighting Nathan.

"I take back what I said yesterday, Roza." He was leaning over me, straddling my body with his. "I can't hold back anymore."

My mind was still hazy from his endorphins but I was slowly becoming more lucid. My body screamed for his touch, but that stupid voice in my head was getting louder.

His eyes held no affection for me. He wanted me, but not out of love. Only out of pure primal urge. "But what about what you said yesterday… You said you wouldn't until I was awakened."

"I've changed my mind. After today I can see that you have no intentions of changing on your own, Roza. I can't keep waiting for you to make up your mind. My lure isn't working." He bent down and kissed my neck, his teeth nipping it without breaking the skin.

My thoughts were reeling against the endorphins still in my system. What did he mean by he couldn't keep waiting? That was when I felt it. Dimitri had ripped my dress off of me in one smooth motion. "Dimitri, what are you doing?" I looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Encouraging you, Roza." Before I could think about anything else, his hands were on me again. His lips found mine in one fluid motion. I couldn't do this, the voice inside me was screaming. I pushed against his chest as hard as I could, but he didn't budge. His Strigoi strength was too much for me, and I was weak.

Frustrated by my protests, he gripped my wrists tightly in his hands and held them above my head. I turned my head away from him, breaking our kiss. "No Dimitri. Not like this, please." I was pleading with him, anything to make him reconsider what he was doing.

He took both of my wrists in one of his hands and turned my face back to him. Our lips were inches away from each other. I could see that he wanted me, but the anger that scared me was just behind it. He kissed my exposed neck and I gasped. My body yearned for him to bite me again, but I fought against it.

He kissed up my neck until his lips found mine again. He gave me no room to move away from him as he forcefully took my mouth with his. He nipped my lip with his teeth, forcing me to give him purchase.

I could feel his free hand running down my body, his cold touch igniting my skin. I arched into his touch. He touch felt so good against my skin. Why was I fighting him? Without warning I felt him rip of the silk underwear he had given me. I gasped against his lips, but it only gave him more access.

His tongue pressed into mine as his fingers slowly teased me. I struggled against him as he slowly ran a finger over me. I couldn't breathe with him kissing me and my body felt like it was on fire, but my mind was screaming for this to stop.

He broke the kiss for a moment to catch a breath. I pushed hard against the hand that held my wrists above me. "Dimitri, stop this." I begged. "Please." I could feel tears coming to my eyes. No matter how much my body wanted this, my mind was reminding me how wrong it was the longer I went without a bite.

His features hardened. Without a word, he kissed my neck again. I felt his fangs find purchase against my already bruised skin. "Please don't." I pleaded again, but it didn't matter. His teeth had already sunken into my neck. Endorphins flooded my system as he drank from my neck, but it only lasted for a moment. He had barely bitten me, but he had given me enough endorphins that I forgot why I was struggling. Suddenly, he was all that mattered.

"Dimitri," I whispered. He released my hands as he saw the fight fade from my eyes. I was no threat to him now.

I brought my hands up into his hair. I just wanted to touch him, to feel him against my skin. His eyes might not be the same, but his body was still as gorgeous as it was before he changed.

"Roza," He murmured against the skin of my shoulder. He kissed it softly then continued down toward my breasts. I moaned as he slowly took my nipple in his mouth. His teeth grazing it as he sucked it forcefully. I was floating on the wave of endorphins in my system as he touched me.

His hand at my pelvis tormented me. He stroked me again before he inserted his fingers. I felt as if I was going to combust. "Roza." He murmured against my breast as his arm snaked under my back and pulled me closer to him.

I moaned again as he toyed with me. The voice in my head had disappeared after the bite and I didn't know why I wouldn't want this. Why I wouldn't want him. "Dimitri," I cried as he brought me closer to the edge.

I was almost there when he pulled away from me. I whimpered at the loss of his touch. "Come back." I reached toward him, needing to feel his skin against mine.

He chuckled, his red eyes dark with lust. Before I could process what he was doing, his pants were off and he was pressed against me again. "Imagine how good this will feel once you're awakened Roza." I thought he was going to pull away from me again, but he didn't.

He dove his fingers into my long hair and pulled my face to his as he thrust into me. His hand firm on my leg that he had put around his waist. I moaned against his lips as he pressed into me. My head spinning as the endorphins threatened to pull me under.

I could feel Dimitri's tension underneath my fingers. When he broke away from me, I moaned against his ear. "What's wrong, Dimitri?" I asked as I clung to him, my hands twisting through his hair.

"Roza," He growled against my ear. His breath against it sent shivers down my spine. "It's hard to hold back."

"Then don't." I whispered without thinking. What did it matter anyways? He wouldn't hurt me and I wanted more of him.

His growl was more audible. He was getting frustrated. "Don't tempt me, Roza." He bit back at me. He pulled away from me a little bit, but kept our hips connected. His eyes were darker than I'd ever seen them when we were kissing.

"But I want you." I didn't care what he did as long as he didn't let me go. My uneasiness from what happened earlier was gone. I just wanted him to enjoy himself as much as I was.

He flipped me on my stomach before I had time to rethink my words. He pulled my hips to his and thrust into my hard. I whimpered as I felt him slam himself into me at an unnatural pace.

I was going to break. "Dimitri. Dimitri, stop." I cried. My hands were clutching the down comforter tightly. My nails were dug into it until the fabric finally gave way. The endorphins from his bite blocked most of the pain, but I could still feel the base pain that came with every thrust of his body.

One of his hands wrapped around the front of my bare body, grabbing my breast tightly. His other was grabbing my hair and pulling my face around toward his so he could kiss me. If he saw the tears on my cheeks, he didn't notice.

This was not the man that I had made love to in the cabin. Even in my drugged haze I could see that he was a monster.

"Stop, please." I cried softly as he pressed his lips into mine. I couldn't take it much longer. I was going to pass out. How long had he been going now? Five minutes, twenty, an hour?

He pulled out and spun me around with a tight grip on my shoulders. Once I was facing him again I could see he was nowhere near finished. I had given him permission to not hold back and he was taking it.

He wrapped his arms around me and rolled so that I was on top of him. My exhausted body could barely hold itself up. He gripped my hips with a bone-crushing grip and pulled me down on top of him. He pulled himself into a sitting position at the end of the bed. My eyes were almost level with his as he lifted his hips into mine again.

I closed my eyes tightly and tried to lean my head against his shoulders, but his voice pulled me back. "Roza, you are beautiful." His voice was soft, a sharp contrast to the look on his face.

He gently ran his hand down my back while the other cupped my face. "I'm sorry if this hurts, but I can't hold back anymore." He pulled my face closer to his. "That is what you wanted, wasn't it?" He kissed me again, his hands back in my hair. His kiss was rough and insistent. The fingers on my back were pushing against my skin painfully.

"We'll go until I break you, Roza." There was a dark glint in his eyes as he thrust into me harder than before.

I didn't know how much time had passed before he reached climax. It felt like it had been days, but I knew it couldn't have been more than hours. I was curled in the fetal position on the bed now, his eyes looking down at me with an unreadable expression.

"We need to get you cleaned up Roza." I kept my eyes firmly closed as I felt him try to pull me to my feet. I quickly collapsed to my knees though as my legs gave way beneath me. All the strength in my body was gone. Without a word, he lifted me into his arms and carried me into the warm water of the shower.

Dimitri washed me from head to toe with gentle hands. "This was why I didn't want to until you were Awakened, Roza. I've hurt you." He gently ran his finger against my cheek. I would have flinched if I had the energy.

When I was clean to his satisfaction, he stepped out of the shower. As we walked past the mirror toward the towels, I saw a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I was bruised everywhere. My body was crisscrossed with bruises both big and small. In the places where he had held me tightest, there were large bruises as large as his hands.

He wrapped a towel around me before I could analyze myself anymore.

Dimitri laid me on the bed then dressed me like a child. I felt weak and ashamed as he put a pair of silk underwear and a nightgown on me. He kissed me softly on my cheek as he pulled the ruined comforter over me.

"I'll come to see you later." When he reached the door he turned toward me. "I was going to tell you last night, but we got…carried away."

I looked up at him for the first time. I didn't have the energy to get upset by his words.

"Two days. Galina says you have two days to Awaken or be killed." The door slammed loudly behind him.

He had left without biting me. I could barely breathe without being in pain. For the first time since he bit me, I could see him clearly. This was not my Dimitri.

The pain my body was feeling was excruciating, but my mind was clear now. I had to get out of here. I had to get away from Dimitri.

**Tune in next time!**


	2. Escape

**A/N: Hey guys! This is the end of paraphrasing the chapters of the book, thank God! I hope you enjoy, I know it's been a bit of a slow start, but I promise it gets better!**

Dimitri hadn't come back to the room the next day. I had been pacing around the apartment all day, trying to push whatever endorphins remained in my system out. Every minute I went without a bite seemed to get clearer. The thought of how I was going to get out of this room the only thought in my mind.

He had dressed me in something silky after he had bathed me, so I changed into something sturdier when I woke up. The only thing that fit that description, and that they'd left with me, was the green wool dress that I had seen on my first day here. I threw that and my old hoodie on, feeling a small semblance of normalcy returning to me.

I walked around again, looking for anything that I could use as a weapon. My first sweep had procured nothing, but I was hoping vainly that something might have changed. When I found nothing though, I became angry.

"Damn it!" I yelled, feeling better with the outburst. I flounced into the desk chair, amazed that I hadn't simply thrown it against the wall in my frustration.

The chair wobbled, ever so slightly.

Frowning, I stood up and looked at it. Everything else in this place was state-of-the-art. Odd that I'd have a faulty chair. I knelt down and examined it more closely. There, on one of the legs, was a crack near where the leg joined with the seat. I stared. All of the furniture here was industrial strength, with no obvious joints. I should know, seeing how long I'd beat this chair against the wall when I first arrived. I hadn't even dented it.

Where had this crack come from? Slamming it over and over had done nothing.

But I hadn't been the only one to hit it.

That very first day, I'd fought with Dimitri and come after him with the chair. He'd taken it from me and thrown it against the wall. I'd never paid attention to it again, having given up on breaking it. When I'd later tried cracking the window, I'd used an end table because it was heavier. My strength hadn't been able to damage the chair-but his had.

I picked up the chair and immediately slammed it into that diamond-hard window, half-hoping I might kill two birds with one stone. Nope. Both remained intact. So I did it again. And again. I lost track of how many times I slammed that chair into the glass. My hands hurt, and I knew despite my recovery, I still wasn't at full strength. It was infuriating.

Finally, on what felt like my gazillionth try, I looked at the chair and saw the crack had grown bigger. The progress renewed my will and strength. I hit and hit, ignoring the pain as the wood bit into my hands. At long last, I heard a crack, and the leg broke off. I picked it up and stared in amazement. The break hadn't been clean. It was splintered and sharp. Sharp enough to be a stake? I wasn't sure. But I knew for a fact that wood was hard, and if I used enough force, I might be able to hit a Strigoi's heart. It wouldn't kill one, but the blow would stun. I didn't know if it'd be enough to get me out of here, but it was all I had now. And it was a hell of a lot more than I'd had an hour ago.

I sat back on the bed, recovering from my battle with the chair and tossing the makeshift stake back and forth. Okay. I had a weapon now. But what could I do with it? Dimitri's face flashed in my mind's eye. Damn it. There was no question about it. He was the obvious target, the one I'd have to deal with first.

The door suddenly clicked open, and I looked up with alarm. Quickly, I shoved the chair into a dark corner as panic raced through me. No, no. I wasn't ready. I hadn't fully convinced myself to stake him. It was Inna. She carried a tray but didn't wear her usual subservient expression. The brief look she gave me was filled with hate. I didn't know what she had to be pissed off about. It wasn't like I'd caused her any damage.

Yet.

I strode over like I was going to examine the tray. Lifting the lid, I saw a ham sandwich and french fries. It looked good-I hadn't eaten in a while -but the adrenaline running through me had shoved any appetite I might have to the background. I glanced back up at her, smiling sweetly. She shot me daggers.

Don't hesitate, Dimitri had always said.

I didn't.

I jumped at Inna, throwing her so hard against the floor that her head slammed back. She looked dazed, but quickly recovered and tried to fight back. I wasn't as drugged up this time and my years of training and natural strength finally showed themselves again. I pressed my body against her, keeping her firmly in place. Then, I produced the stake I'd had concealed and pressed those sharp points against her neck.

It was like being back in the days of pinning Strigoi in alleys. She couldn't see that my weapon was a chair leg, but the sharp points got her attention as I dug them into her throat.

"The code," I said. "What is the code?"

Her only response was a string of obscenities in Russian. Okay, not a surprise, considering she probably didn't understand me. I flipped through the meager Russian-English dictionary in my head. I'd been in the country long enough to pick up some vocabulary. Admittedly, it was equivalent to a two-year-old's, but even they could communicate.

"Numbers," I said in Russian. "Door." At least, that's what I hoped I said.

She swore at me again and I pressed the stake harder against her neck, drawing blood. She faltered a little when she realized that I could kill her with no problem.

Again, I attempted my broken Russian. "Kill you. No Nathan. Never…" What was the word? The church service came back to me, and I hoped I had it right. "Never eternal life."

It got her attention. Nathan and eternal life. The things most important to her. She bit her lip, still angry, but her tirade had stopped.

"Numbers. Door," I repeated. I pushed the stake in harder, and she cried out in pain. At last she spoke, rattling off a series of digits. Russian numbers were something I had memorized pretty solidly, at least. They were essential for addresses and phone numbers. She cited seven numbers.

"Again," I said. I made her say it three times and hoped I had it. But there was more. I was pretty sure the outer door had a different code.

"Numbers. Door. Two." I felt like a caveman.

Inna stared, not quite getting it.

"Door. Two."

Understanding glinted in her eyes, and she looked mad. I think she'd hoped I wouldn't realize the other door had its own code. More cutting with the stake made her scream seven more numbers. Again, I made her repeat them, realizing I had no way to know if she was telling me the truth at least until I tried the numbers. For that reason, I decided to keep her around.

I felt guilty about what I did next, but these were desperate times. In guardian training, I'd been taught both to kill and to incapacitate. I did the latter this time, slamming her head back against the floor and rendering her unconscious. Her expression went slack, her eyelids drooping. Damn. I was reduced to hurting teenage humans.

Standing up, I moved to the door and punched in the first set of numbers, hoping I had them right. To my complete and utter astonishment, I did.

The electronic lock clicked, but before I could open the door, I just barely made out another click. Someone had unlocked the outer door.

"Shit," I muttered.

I pulled away from the door immediately, picked up Inna's unconscious body, and hurried to the bathroom I set her in the tub as gently as possible and had just shut the bathroom door when I heard the main door open. I felt the telltale nausea that signaled a Strigoi was nearby. I knew one of the Strigoi could smell a human, and I hoped shutting her away would be enough to mute Inna's scent. I emerged from the hall and found Dimitri in the living room. I grinned at him and ran into his arms.

"You're back," I said happily, a fake smile in place.

He held me briefly and then stepped back. "Yes." He seemed slightly pleased at the greeting, but soon his face was all business. "Have you made your decision?"

No hello. No how are you feeling? My heart sank. This wasn't Dimitri.

"Not yet. I have more questions." His eyes roamed over me for a moment.

"You're sweating," he said suddenly. "Why?"

Damn, damn, damn. Of course I was sweating. And along with sweat, I was sure I was giving off pheromones of my agitation. Strigoi could smell all of those things, too.

"Because I'm scared," I whispered, which was the truth. I was scared of him; I didn't want his hands on me. I only wanted to remember him before he turned. My Dimitri would have never hurt me like he had.

"I… I think I'm ready, but it's… I don't know. It's such a big thing."

"It'll be the best decision of your life, Roza."

"Maybe." I stepped closer to him. "Will you kiss me again?" He reached forward and pulled me to him. He kissed my lips and I almost faltered again, he was too much like my Dimitri in these moments. His mouth answered mine, his lips warm and eager. I held out the kiss a little longer, both to fight back the tears leaking out of my eyes and to lull him into an unsuspecting state. My hand closed around the chair leg, which I'd hidden in my hoodie pocket.

I would never forget my Dimitri, not for the rest of my life. And this time, I wouldn't forget his lessons. Again.

With a speed he wasn't ready for, I struck the stake out and plunged it into chest. My strength was there – sliding the stake past the ribs and straight into his heart.

As he fell to the ground, his eyes looked at me in surprise, and for a moment he looked like the old Dimitri. Watching him fall, I felt like I had pierced my own heart at the same time.

I bolted to the door once his eyes closed and entered the first code. He wasn't dead. The stake to his heart would incapacitate him for a while, but he would recover. Even though he looked dead, he wasn't.

I probably had five minutes at most before he healed up and shook this off. I had no time to mourn for what was and what might have been. I had to act now. No hesitation.

When the door clicked open, I pulled it open and ran to the one at the end of the industrial looking hallway. As I began to enter the second code, I realized there would be a Strigoi on the other side of the door.

The red light on the keypad stayed red as I entered the final key. "Shit." I murmured again. I took a deep breath and tried to remember the numbers Inna had given me. I tried the seven numbers again, thinking I'd just entered the wrong one, when the light still stayed red I started to panic. Maybe Inna had lied.

No, I didn't think so. More determined than ever, I entered them in backwards. The green light came on and I pulled the door open to greet the Strigoi on the other side of it.

It was Marlen. The one I'd tortured in the alley. The one who hated me because I'd disgraced him in front of Galina. He was clearly on guard duty and looked as though he'd expected a boring night. Me coming out the door was a shock.

That gave me, oh, about a millisecond of surprise. My first thought was to just run at him with as much brute strength as I could. I knew he would do the same to me. In fact… that was exactly what he'd do.

I stayed where I was, standing so that I could keep the door propped open. He came at me to stop my escape, and I stepped aside, pulling the door open wider. Now, I was neither skilled enough nor was he inept enough to simply get lured in. He stopped in the doorway, trying to get hold of me. This gave me the difficult task of trying to both fend him off and drag him into the corridor behind the door. I stepped back into the doorway, hoping he'd follow. All the while, I had to keep the door open. It was all complicated, and I would have no time to punch in the code again.

We fought in the confined space. The biggest thing I had going for me was that Marlen appeared to be a young Strigoi, which made sense. Galina would want to keep around henchmen she could control. Of course, Strigoi strength and speed compensated for a lack of experience. The fact that he had been a Moroi once also meant he probably had very little training. That also was a bonus for me. Dimitri was a badass Strigoi because he'd trained as a fighter before being turned. This guy had not.

So, Marlen got a couple punches in on me, one coming dangerously close to my eye. The other caught me in the stomach, knocking the air out of me for half a second. But most of the time, I was able to dodge him pretty well. This seemed to infuriate him. Getting beat up by a teenage girl didn't really score you cool points when you were a Strigoi. At one point, I even faked him out in one direction and came at him with a surprise kick -easier to do than I'd e expected in that damned dress-that knocked him back a few steps. I just barely managed to keep my hand in the door when I did it, but that was all I needed. His stumble gave me a few seconds to slip out the door and into the main hall. Unfortunately, when I tried to close it, he was already trying to come through. With my hands, I tried to pull the door shut while kicking him back inside. We struggled this way for a while, and thanks to whatever luck I had left, I got the door closed enough so that only his arm was sticking through. Bracing myself, I pulled the door toward me in one huge, forceful movement. It slammed into Marlen's wrist. I half expected to see his hand detach and pop into the hall, but he'd jerked it back. Even Strigoi had certain instincts to avoid pain.

Gasping-my physical strength still wasn't all it could be-I backed up. If he knew the code, this had been for nothing. A moment later, the door's handle shook but didn't open. I heard a scream of rage, and then his fists beat on the door.

I didn't stay around to see if he would pound through it, but I had a feeling that he could. Dimitri would be awake soon and I needed to be out of this damned place before then.

I could see the stairs. For a Strigoi headquarters they looked deserted and I knew I had four flights to get down before I'd get out. I took my chances that I might run into someone else and began bolting down them. I had no time to find my stake and I couldn't risk the Strigoi coming from the other side of the door.

No one was expecting me to be out of my room. That was my greatest advantage. No one would really be expecting me.

Halfway to the second floor, I heard someone in the hall at the bottom. I pressed myself out of sight and prayed they didn't come up the stairs. With my breath held, I watched Nathan walk past the base of the stairs. He walked by them and down the hall.

I let out my breath and took off again. I reached the first floor without incident and bolted out the front door. It had been too easy to get out of the house, but I wasn't going to over examine it now.

It was dark outside. Shit. There was a wrap around driveway out the front. A black sports car sat there with darkly tinted windows. I ran to the drivers' side and pulled it open, there was another human servant sitting in the front seat.

He raised his hands in surprise when he saw me. "Get out of the car."

When he didn't move I grabbed him by the shirtfront and threw him to the ground. I didn't have time to wait for him to move. Slowpoke.

"Rose!" I heard echoing from inside the house.

The man was still sitting on the floor staring up at me confused. "Go!" I pointed in the direction of the house as I got into the car. Dimitri would be here as soon as he realized I wasn't in the house anymore.

I heard the sound of gravel moving as the servant ran back into the house. I wasn't who he should be afraid of, I thought.

I slid into the driver's seat and slammed the car door shut. I had just put the car into drive when the front doors of the house swung open. I saw Dimitri racing toward me as I slammed my foot on the accelerator.

There were more Strigoi coming out behind him. I had to get out of here.

Now.

As the car raced down the driveway, I saw them running after me. Panic gripped my chest as I tried to maneuver the car. I flipped the headlights on when I almost ran into a garden pot.

Some of them had backed off by now, and as I drove further away I realized that there was only one of them left.

Dimitri was gaining on me.

If he caught me, he would kill me. Or worse, turn me. I had to drive faster.

The road was straight in front of me and I pushed the car faster. The speedometer was sitting on eighty kilometers an hour and climbing.

I looked in the rearview mirror to see if he was still chasing me. Relief filled my chest. He had given up.

There was a hard crash against the side of the car that sent me careening toward the side of the road. Dimitri had hit me. He was determined to stop me, I'd give him that. I tried to correct myself, but at the speed I was going I didn't even have time to react as I clipped the brick wall off the bridge.

Flashbacks of the crash with Lissa's parents ran through my mind as the car began spinning wildly. I was jostled roughly as the car came to a rest against the opposite wall of the bridge.

By some miracle, the airbags hadn't exploded. As I looked around trying to gather my bearings, my eyes landed on the floor of the passenger's seat. There was a glimmer of silver sticking out of a white cloth bag.

I ignored the pain that was shooting up my side as I reached out and snatched the bag off the floor. When I reached inside of it, my heart leapt in my chest as I wrapped my fingers around a familiar object.

I pulled an ornate silver stake out of it. After today I think I'm going to take God more seriously.

I didn't get any more time to think about where the stake had come from. I shoved it up my hoodie sleeve, my hand wrapped firmly around it as I saw Dimitri stalking to the door.

I attempted to push it open, but it had been damaged in the accident. I took a deep breath. I was so, so tired.

Dimitri wasted no time in ripping the door from its hinges, but I was ready for him. When he reached down to grab at me, I ducked under his arm and sprung out of the car. I turned quickly and slammed his head into the top of the vehicle while I still had him distracted.

The light from the headlights illuminated the bridge around us. I could see that part of the wall had broken off when my car had hit it. When he swung around, he slung his arm out and clipped me in the jaw. Damn that hurt.

I stepped toward him and tried to punch him, but I was unsteady on my feet from the accident. He grabbed my fist easily and pulled my arms against my sides tightly. I struggled against his grip violently. He wasn't going to win this without a fight.

"Stop it!" he yelled, gripping my arms. "Don't you get it? You can't win!"

"Then kill me!" I wriggled, but his hold on my upper arms was too strong. I held on tightly to the stake hidden in my sleeve. "You said you would if I didn't surrender myself. Well, guess what? I didn't. I won't. So just get it over with."

The car headlights lit up his face, eradicating the normal shadows and making his skin stark white against the night's backdrop. It was like all the colors in the world had been blanked out. His eyes merely looked dark, but in my mind's eye, they glowed like fire. His expression was cold and calculating.

It reminded me too much of the look he'd had when he held me under him. "It'd take a lot for me to kill you, Rose," he said. "This isn't enough."

I wasn't convinced. Still holding onto me with that unbreakable grip, he leaned toward me. He was going to bite me. Those teeth would pierce my skin, and he'd turn me into a monster like him or drink until I was dead. Either way, I'd be too drugged and too stupid to know it. The person who was Rose Hathaway would leave this world without even realizing it.

I couldn't let that happen. I didn't want to spend eternity with this monster who had the face of Dimitri.

"Pure panic shot through me-even as that part of me that was still in withdrawal cried out for more of those glorious endorphins. No, no. I couldn't allow that. Every nerve I had was set on fire, ramping up for defense, attack, anything… anything to stop this. I would not be turned. I could not be turned. I wanted so badly to do something to save myself.

I saw a ghost in my peripheral vision as his fangs touched my skin.

It was like a nuclear explosion going off as I dropped the mental wall of my mind. The ghosts and spirits I'd summoned on the road to Baia burst between us. They were all around, translucent and luminescent in shades of pale green, blue, yellow, and silver. I'd let loose all of my defenses, let myself succumb to my emotions in a way I hadn't been able to when Dimitri first caught me. There was no holding back my powers.

Dimitri sprang back, wide-eyed. He swung his hands out wildly as the spirits swarmed him, but they passed right through them. He was completely powerless in their midst. Even though they couldn't hurt him physically, they could distract him. He was careful not to step backwards as he neared dangerously close to the edge of the bridge where the wall had fallen.

When he brought his arms above his head to swing at the ones that were attacking his head, I dropped the stake down into my hand. With every ounce of strength I possessed, I threw the mental wall into place. Some of them still remained, but slowly they were starting to dissipate.

I didn't hesitate. Rule number one, Dimitri.

I pushed my stake through the opening at his chest. "I will always love you." I said as I looked up at his face.

It wasn't as precise a blow as I would have liked. I struggled to get the stake in deep enough to his heart, unsure if I had the strength. Then, his struggles stopped. His eyes stared at me, stunned, and his lips parted, almost into a smile, albeit a grisly and pained one.

The push of the stake through his chest had pushed him onto the edge of the bridge. The stake's magic made the rest easy, stunning him and his reflexes.

Dimitri fell.

I watched as he was swallowed by the fast moving waters of the Ob.

I collapsed to my knees as I watched the water roar under the bridge. For a brief moment, I contemplated throwing myself after him. But I didn't.

My Dimitri wouldn't have wanted that. He would want me to live on. To remember him as he was, not as the monster he had become.

Every part of me screamed in agony as I pulled myself off the ground. I put one foot in front of the other though and walked forward in a trance. I could see lights on the horizon. Novosibirsk.

Walk toward the light, Rose. I urged myself, laughing morbidly at the thought.

I don't know how far I walked before I felt my knees buckle underneath of me. The city was still just shadow on the horizon. Too far away.

I felt the softness of the grass caress the skin of my knees. I rolled onto my bottom and laid my head on my knees. My body screamed for sleep.

Exhausted, I gave in for just a minute.

I didn't know how long I sat there before a pair of headlights snapped me into alertness. I looked up surprised as I saw a truck come to a stop a few feet away, keeping me illuminated in front of it.

I didn't even brace myself as the shadow of a person walked toward me. I didn't have the strength to fight anyone, and if it was a Strigoi, I was screwed anyways.

An older man appeared from the light though. He was looking at me with concerned eyes. I knew I didn't look good. He said something in Russian that I didn't understand and I shook my head in response. "No Russian." I croaked from my sore throat. I pointed toward the lights. "Novosibirsk?"

He pointed from the lights on the horizon to the lights of his truck and nodded. "Novosibirsk." He held his hand out to help me up and I gladly took it.

Fifteen minutes later, the lights of the city illuminated the trucks interior. As the old man drove through the streets though, a familiar face getting out of a car caught my eye. "Stop!" I yelled suddenly.

It was the first thing I had said and it shocked him. He slammed his foot on the breaks suddenly and I jerked forward a bit. Without waiting for the car to come to a complete stop, I threw the door open and turned to him.

"Spaseeba!" I said politely as I stepped out of the truck. He nodded at me and drove off when I shut the door.

Standing across the street bathed in the city lights stood a devil of a man. Zmey.

"Rose?" He sounded surprised. He should be. I was supposed to be back in America according to his orders.

I smiled at him and stumbled across the street with unsteady feet. Halfway there, I felt my body give up. As I fell forward toward the ground, I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me. Even if I didn't know if I could trust him, I knew I was safe as exhaustion pulled me under.

**Abe's POV**

I looked toward the street as I heard the sound of tires squealing. An old beat-up farm truck slammed to a stop across from me and I could see someone getting out of the passengers side. That was odd.

When the truck drove away, though, I saw a battered girl standing in its wake. My heart clenched in my chest as she stepped into the light, her face illuminating. "Rose?" I called in surprise.

She looked awful. She was bruised from head to toe and her clothes were ripped. I could see dark streaks of blood on her clothes and running down her leg. As she stumbled forward, her messy hair that matched mine fell into her face.

I raced forward as I saw her begin to fall forward and caught her. She had passed out cold. I swore in Turkish and lifted her into my arms. Her blood was going to ruin my suit.

As I carried her to my car, I looked down at her face as I brushed her hair off of it. She had a large bruise forming on her jaw and I could see the large black and yellow bruises that ran down her neck. Stupid, stupid girl. She'd been fed from. And often-on top of that.

Once I was settled in the back seat of my car, I told the guardian in the front seat to drive. "Where to, sir?" he asked.

"The jet, call and have it prepared for me." I rolled the divider up between us and turned to look at the girl laying across the seat next to me as I pulled a cell phone out of my breast pocket and dialed a number I had rang many times over the last month.

"I've got her, Janine." I said as soon as I heard her answer.

The woman on the other side of the phone breathed a sigh of relief. "How is she?"

I hesitated for a moment and looked over at Rose again. "She'll be fine." I hoped that was true. I knew she'd heal physically, but I didn't know if she'd heal mentally.

"How did you find her? Are you bringing her home?" The voice on the other side of the phone asked.

"Rose actually found me, and yes. We'll be there tomorrow afternoon." Rose stirred next to me.

I knew she was surprised by the news. I had been in Novosibirsk to find her, and it was just pure luck we had seen each other. "Okay. I'll meet you at the Academy." I hung the phone up.

I softly patted the top of her head.

What have you gotten yourself into, Rose?

**Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	3. Home

**A/N: Hey guys! I hope that you are enjoying the story so far. **

**I will make note that Avery never came to campus in my version. **

**Please review! I love hearing from you guys and it really helps to get the ideas flowing sometimes. **

**Home**

I knew where I was before I even opened my eyes. The smell of disinfectant assaulted my nose. Abe had brought me back to the Academy, just like I knew he would. Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked around.

I was in a small white room that was part of Dr. Olendzki's clinic. I lying in a hospital bed that was propped up. There was an IV drip attached to my arm. It was ironic that I would end up back in this room after staking Dimitri, our practices had sent me here many times when he was my mentor.

My mother and Abe were talking outside of my room and I could barely make out what they were saying through the cracked door. His hand was squeezing hers, a soft look on her face. Whoa.

I pulled out the IV and loud beep echoed through the room. Abe and my mom jumped apart and pulled the door open. Relief flooded my mom's face when she saw that I was awake, but it was only there for a minute. It stung more than I thought it would when her Guardian mask snapped back into place.

"How are you feeling, Rose?" She asked me.

"I'm fine. How long have I been out?" I looked between the two of them. Abe was eying me with his normally closed off look but there was something underneath of it.

"A few days. Dr. Olendzki said your body was just in shock." Her eyes wandered over my face, but I saw the fleeting look she cast at my neck. Subconsciously, I brought my hand up to cover it.

I felt like I was on display in front of them. "What aren't either of you saying?" I finally snapped. They looked between each other as if they'd been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. I balled my fists in the sheet covering me. "Zmey, don't lie to me."

"You were gone for six weeks. Little Girl, what happened after Baia? Where were you before you stumbled into Novosibirsk?" Abe's voice was firm. His eyes conveying the same thing to me that I'd just asked of him. I looked away from them both and stared at the chair next to the bed. From the blanket thrown over it, I could tell someone had been sleeping in it.

"I was hunting Strigoi in Novosibirsk with some Unpromised." My voice felt small. I left out the part where I was trying to lure out Dimitri. "Well, I got taken by some of them and they held me captive." Abe's eyes narrowed. He knew I was leaving something out. "The night I found you in Novosibirsk I had just escaped from their headquarters."

My mom's eyes were wide as she took me in. Boy, did she want to scold me. She held back though. Abe's voice cut through my thoughts. "Did you complete your mission Little Girl?" He was being purposefully vague in front of my mother. He knew. He knew about Dimitri taking me. I swallowed painfully and nodded, not allowing the tears to come to my eyes.

"What are you talking about? A mission?" My mom looked between the two of us. I could see she was about to crack. She obviously didn't like Abe knowing something she didn't.

Abe left that answer to me. He was giving me the clearance to lie if I wanted to. I took a deep breath and met her eyes, preparing for the disappointment I was bound to find in them. "Dimitri, Mom. I went to Russia to kill Dimitri."

She opened her mouth to say something and then shut it. In any other circumstance I would have been ecstatic to have rendered my mother speechless, but there was none of my wittiness about me today. No, today was not a day for joking. "You did what?"

"I staked Dimitri. Okay?" The tears were going to expose my feelings in front of my mother, but did it really matter? Dimitri was dead. Let them judge me; I didn't care.

I looked away from her as the implications of my words sunk in and braced myself for her to lash out at me. It never came though; instead she gently squeezed my hand. It was warm. "He was a good man. He deserved a proper death." I nodded. Her unexpected understanding was, well, nice.

After I few minutes of silence, I spoke up. "Can I talk to Abe alone for a second?" My mom looked between the two of us for the umpteenth time and nodded, but it was clear she wasn't happy about it.

"I'm going to go get a coffee." She glanced at us once more before she left, shutting the door behind her.

I didn't waste anytime. "What do you know?" I was scared of what he was going to say. I really hoped I was wrong.

"Dimitri took you. Didn't he?" His voice was ice. In that moment, I could see why people called him Zmey. When I didn't respond, he knew the answer. "Damn it Rose! I told you to leave Russia. I had a plane waiting! Why didn't you just take it?" His fist slammed into the wall. It broke through the drywall with ease.

"What right do you have to get angry with me, Zmey?" I snapped back.

"Because you're my daughter, Rose!" He shot back. His composure had broken.

Shock roiled through me. "Come again?" I didn't hear that right. There was no way.

When I looked at him though, I saw it. His skin was the same colour as mine and our hair matched. The looks that were so different from my mother's were a mirror when I looked at him. It also explained the exchange between him and my mom outside of the door. My dad was Zmey. That was kind of badass.

He didn't answer my question. "Did he do that to you?" He pointed at my legs. My stomach rolled as the memory of what he was asking came back to me.

Father or not, I wasn't telling him that. "I don't know what you're talking about, Zmey." I put my emotional walls back up.

I heard a frustrated sound escape his lips as he reached out and ripped the sheet off of my legs. My hospital gown had slid up while I slept and was pushed up to my hips. I gasped as I looked down at them for the first time since that night.

I knew I was bruised from head to toe, but this was different. There were large, layered black bruises wrapping around my thighs and winding up under my underwear. On my hip, I could just barely make out a bruise with the distinguished shape of a handprint peeking out. I tugged my gown up a little bit and Zmey averted his eyes.

Dimitri's handprint was etched into my skin.

Images of his hands painfully holding my hips assaulted my mind. I yanked the sheet back over me. I couldn't look myself anymore. I was going to break if I did. "What did you tell my mom?" My voice was small and pitiful. I sounded weak.

"Nothing. I was the only one here when Dr. Olendzki did the exam. I wouldn't let her pass it on to your mother. As far as the doctor's concerned, it was a Dhampir that did it." He sighed in agitation and sat in the chair next to the bed.

"Thanks Zmey." I gently touched his eccentric purple dress shirt.

"If you hadn't killed him Rose, I would have. You were in really bad shape when you got here." I shuddered to think of what Abe would have done to Dimitri. He should be thanking me for staking him. He pointed at my neck. "You were seriously anemic. They said it was amazing you could have even fought your way out of there."

I covered my neck with my hand again. He stood up and walked to the door, the small display of his affection for me was over. "Could you send Adrian to me?" Abe's hand was on the door handle. He gave me a curt nod and left, shutting the door behind him.

**Adrian's POV**

If you'd asked me yesterday, I would have laughed at anyone who said I would ever meet Abe Mazuer. But this morning, the most feared man in the Moroi world had pounded on my door until it had almost come off of its hinges. If him standing at my door wasn't surprising enough, he was there to tell me to go see Rose in the clinic. I had just stood there dumbfounded as he walked away after delivering his message. How the hell did Rose know the Zmey?

That hadn't mattered though. Rose was back. I had thrown on some clothes and raced to the clinic as fast as I could, my heart constricting in my chest.

When I got to her room, though, she wasn't in her bed. My stomach dropped. Had she run again? My thoughts were cut off abruptly though when she came out of the bathroom adjoining her room.

"Rose." I said breathlessly. A faltering smile crossed her lips as she looked up at me. God, I'd missed her.

My eyes scanned over her. The bites on her neck that I'd seen while dream walking were standing out in stark contrast against her pallor colouring and she was covered from head to toe in bruises. As my eyes came to her knees, I saw that above her knees her skin was almost black. The bruises had all blended there to form one. As I looked up at her face, I saw the tears coming to her eyes. "Adrian." She said, holding her arms out to me like a child.

In two strides, I pulled her against me gently and gently stroked the top of her head. A heartbreaking sob came from her lips as she wrapped her arms around me, her tiny frame trembling like a leaf in my arms. "You're safe, Rose." I softly cooed to her. "You're home."

After a few minutes, her tears slowed and she looked up at me. I could see the bruise on her chin where someone had obviously hit her. Gently, I stroked her cheek. Rose flinched at the contact, but didn't pull away. "You're safe now, Rose."

She nodded at me and I brought her forehead to my lips. "Let's get you back in bed. You're going to fall over and I'd hate to sweep you off your feet already." She laughed at that and obliged.

I ran my hand through my hair as I sat down on the edge of the bed. "He's gone, Adrian." I looked over at her. I knew it was wrong, but my heart soared at her words.

"Are you okay?" That was a stupid question. Of course she wasn't.

"No, but I will be." She gently took my hand and I squeezed it.

A long moment of silence passed between us. I looked at her face again and noticed her aura for the first time. It was different. There was a ring around it that was similar to what Dimitri's had always been. It was almost three layered. Dimitri's aura, her shadow-kissed ring of darkness, and her own aura. Her own aura was more of a mess than normal with a swirling of different emotions. "Your aura's different, Little Dhampir."

She smiled. "You always say that Adrian." I smiled back at her. She wasn't herself right now, but that was to be expected. I must have been looking at her with a questioning look.

"Dimitri took me." She said suddenly, and as soon as she did the story of what had happened poured out of her like a geyser. "He took me from Novosibirsk when I was hunting the Strigoi with a group of Unpromised. He held me prisoner in a mansion that was serving as a Strigoi headquarters. He thought that he could convince me to join him and he…" Her words faltered as emotion rose in her eyes. "He drank from me and kissed me." Anger and sorrow were flaring inside of me. Anger at that stupid Russian and sorrow for the woman in front of me.

Her next words were like a stake to my heart though. "Adrain," she choked out as tears ran down her face, "he…he…" I looked down at her legs again and understood.

"Fucking Russian. Stupid, fucking Russian." I said. I could feel spirit pushing my emotions to instability. I felt myself get off of the bed in an almost trancelike state and throw the chair next to the bed across the room. "I shouldn't have let you go. You should have never been in Russia, Rose!"

"Adrian!" Her pleading voice pulled my eyes to her. "It wasn't him! That, that thing that held me in Russia was a monster. It was a monster with his face. The real Dimitri would have never hurt me. Never!" Her eyes were steeled with conviction. "And he's dead now! He's gone!" A sob ripped from her chest. "He's gone."

Her passionate plea had pulled me back down to earth and I looked at her with a sad expression. I had never liked the man, but she had loved him. He was dead now anyways and I was glad for it.

I walked forward and sat on the edge of the bed again. Gently, I pulled her head against my chest. "I'm sorry, Little Dhampir. I'm so sorry." I kissed the top of her head and ran my hand up and down her back.

She would snap back from this, I knew it, but for right now she needed me. She needed to be weak, hell she deserved a chance to break down after what she'd been through, but I would be here. I'd be her rock.

"Thank you Adrian."

"Always, Little Dhampir."

**Rose's POV**

He was warm. So warm. His arms around me were like the warmest jacket in the dead of winter. Dimitri had been cold.

I jerked back as the memories of Dimitri's arms holding me in Russia flooded back to me. Adrian sat there looking at me concerned, his arms still outstretched. "Are you okay, Rose?"

I nodded. It was a lie. Inside I was trembling, but I couldn't be weak anymore. That's what he'd said, wasn't it? That I deserved it because I was weak.

I would never be weak again.

"Thank you for everything, Adrian." I said. "It really came in handy. Especially when a dress caught my eye."

Adrian laughed. "You didn't even send me a picture."

"Have you seen Lissa yet?" He asked me with an inquisitive look.

"No!" I said, just a little too quickly. When he fixed a questioning look at me, I stumbled for words. "I-I just don't want to see her yet. Don't want her to see me like this. The last things I said to her were harsh and I don't want to worry her."

A thump at the door made me turn and look toward it, but I only saw a flash of blonde hair before I was pulled into Lissa's head.

I felt like I couldn't breathe from the pain squeezing my chest.

Lissa had ran to the clinic as soon as she had heard I was back from Russia. She had missed me and wanted to apologize for how we had separated on my birthday. Most of all, though, she wanted to make sure I was okay.

When she'd gotten to my door, she had heard voices inside so she'd quietly cracked the door. She had seen me before she saw who I was with and she was shocked to see me. It was the first time I had seen myself since after Dimitri had washed me. I gasped along with her.

I looked like a shell of myself. My eyes were ringed with black circles and a bruise donned my chin like a badge of honor. I was much skinner than I'd been before I left and my face was hallowed. If someone wanted to lose weight they should just get kidnapped by their psychotic Stigoi lover!

My body was what had shocked Lissa, though. The hospital gown exposed my arms and legs and the bruises were horrible. I knew I was bruised, but seeing it from her eyes made me appreciate why everyone was tiptoeing around me.

The shape of Dimitri's fingers was embossed on my body. I could see now where he had gripped me and shaken me. Where he had held me down. My skin was not easy to bruise either, so the power he must have put into it was astonishing to me. How was I alive?

The last thing her eyes locked on was my neck. Her heart constricted as she saw the bruises and the punctures, both newly healed and old. Memories flooded her from when she had fed from me when we were on the run and how exhausted I had been afterwards. She couldn't imagine what it'd felt like after all of the feedings I'd had.

The shock of seeing me wore off though when Adrian asked about her. Hurt washed over her like a tidal wave when I had said no. She hadn't waited to hear the rest of what I said as she ran from my doorway, her hip hitting the door as she turned.

I could sense where she was going. The chapel.

I forced myself back into my own head and jumped to follow after her. "Damn it!" I growled. I wobbled on my feet as I attempted to stand, my head spinning in the process.

"Rose, sit down." Adrian was up and pushing me back into the bed. When I struggled against his hand, he pushed a bit harder until I fell onto the hospital bed. "Damn it Rose! You can't go after her like this. I'll go."

I relented, knowing it was no use. We were just wasting time by arguing. "She has to know that it's not because of her, Adrian. I just…" I said quickly as I grabbed his hand.

He understood and nodded. "I'll take care of her Rose."

**Adrian's POV**

I felt the pain from her aura before I'd even walked into the church doors. When I got upstairs, she was pacing wildly, a worried Christian sitting under the stained glass window. "Lissa, you have to calm down. The spirit is getting to you."

She spun on me. "So what! How long have you known, Adrian?" She yelled at me.

"I'd only been with her for about an hour, Lissa. I swear on my cigarettes." I reached out my hands to still her, but Christian's voice stopped me.

"Back off Ivashkov." He stood up and looked at me menacingly in the dark space.

"Christian, stop." I glared over at him. "She needs to hear this. Lissa, Rose wants to see you. She just…can't right now."

"But she could see you? It's not like you've ever done more for her than chase after her." Lissa snapped at me.

Ouch.

"You don't know what you're saying, Lissa. Stop acting like a child!" She stopped in her tracks and stared at me wide eyed. "You are being selfish!"

That seemed to reach her. She looked at me with doe wide eyes, but the anger induced spirit seemed to be leaving her. "Now listen! Both of you." I shot a look at Christian who had walked over and put an arm around Lissa.

"Rose went through a hell of a lot in Russia. More than both of you can imagine right now!" Lissa, gentle sweet Lissa, had pissed me off. "Look, we still don't know the extent of what happened over there, but she's not completely herself yet. What we do know, is that she was held captive for a period of time."

Lissa gasped. The injuries she had seen on Rose made more sense to her now. I nodded at Christian and she allowed him to bring her back to the bench seat under the window.

"Rose wants to see you Lissa. She just doesn't want you to see her like this. She's like you were when the spirit overwhelmed you, okay?" My anger was subsiding. Lissa was just upset that she wasn't one of the first ones to see Rose.

I went over to her and knelt in front of her. I took her trembling hands in mine and looked into her face. "She loves you Lissa. She's just as afraid and hurting as you were then. So, can you understand?"

Lissa nodded he head and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, Adrian. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

I smiled at her. "Eh. It happens." I looked over at Christian and got up to leave. "I'll keep you updated, and as soon as she wants you I'll come and get you. I know she's been checking in on you." I gently tapped my temple and she smiled at me weakly.

Once I was outside I wasted no time in lighting a cigarette. The strong smell of cloves surrounded me and I inhaled deeply. I thought of what Rose had told me, my brain conjuring images to match them.

"Damn it!" I slammed my fist into the brick wall of the dormitory next to me. I inhaled deeper trying to fight back the rise of my emotions. I had to stay in control.

Taking another drag, I turned my mind to thoughts of her aura. What could be causing it to have that outer ring?

In my gut, I had a feeling that whatever was causing it wasn't good.

**Tune in next time!**


	4. Revelations

**A/N: Hey guys! Back again! **

**Hope you guys are liking the story so far, and thank you to those of you that have stuck with me. Especially AriaBelikov! If you like my story, check hers out: You Were Mine For A Time. I'm the Beta for it and I think it's going swell. =D**

**Please review guys, I love hearing from you. **

**Revelations**

Three days later they released me from the hospital. I wanted to leave the afternoon Lissa had run off, but they felt they needed to air on the side of caution. I had been absolutely fine. I didn't need to be there at all.

My mother was the one who had lead me from the clinic, but she didn't take me to my dorm like I thought she would. Instead, she led me toward the Guardian's building. I looked at her. "Why are we going here, Mom?"

"We're having a meeting to decide if you can compete in the trials. Their tomorrow morning." She said. Mom's guardian face was on and she meant business.

Alberta was at the door to greet us; she gave me a slight nod. "Glad you're back Rose." Inside, all of the guardians stood around the walls of the room with Stan, and then Alberta, standing forwards a bit.

"Now, we're not going to waste anytime in beginning." Alberta's voice rang through the room. "We're here to discuss Rose's participation in the Trials, and in turn, her ability to graduate as a Guardian." There was a murmur around the room and I felt myself standing up straighter.

All eyes were on me now, analyzing me and scrutinizing. I was thankful that my mother had made me put on the black guardian colors. The long shirt and pants covered my bruises for the most part and I wore my hair down so that the bruises on my neck were covered.

"Now, Guardian Hathaway has informed me of the reason Rose withdrew in the first place and the events that transpired. Rose went to put Guardian Dimitri Belikov at peace." An abrupt silence filled the room, a sign of their great respect for Dimitri. "She has succeeded and in the process has made a significant dent in the Strigoi population of Novosibirsk, Russia."

"I'm not saying that what she did is right, but the circumstances of the matter are honorable."

"It still doesn't excuse it, Alberta. Is she going to run off every time the whim fancies her? She certainly has since she's been at the Academy. Where would that leave the Princess? Or in that matter any charge she has?" Stan was speaking now. He always had something to say about my choices.

"She has always gone for a reason though." My mother said. I turned my head a bit surprised. Was she defending me? "She is one of the youngest guardians-in-training to get her marks and she has killed more Strigoi than some seasoned Guardians I know."

My heart fluttered a bit. My mother's words were heavy praise, especially from someone of her renown, but her words were short lived.

"She is rebellious, reckless, and at times shortsighted, but can we really afford to lose a guardian with as much raw talent as her? And a female one at that?"

There were a few head nods around the room and a bit of murmuring. "You can't be serious, Janine!" Stan cried out. "You of all people should be aware of what is required to be a guardian. You must have a level-head, and Rose doesn't have that."

"Enough!" Alberta's voice above the bickering. "I have already spoken to Headmistress Kirova and it has been decided that with my approval, Rose my return. We've already heard Stan's opinion, but what do the rest of you think?"

It was quiet for a moment. Then the room erupted.

"Rose deserves to stay. I lost my partner to the Strigoi and I always regret not going to free him." One guardian cried out.

"I saw her fight in the caves and she fought with the expertise of a guardian who has been on duty for years. With the Strigoi picking us off one by one, we can't afford to let her go."

Their voices rang out repeatedly. I was absolutely touched. I had no idea that any of them felt that way about me. I thought they all saw me as an overly arrogant child with a bad attitude. They thought I was a good guardian after everything I'd done. They were willing to take me back into the fold even though I had left. Gosh, they might make me cry.

"That settles it. Rose," Alberta turned toward me, "you may take part in the Trials. If you pass you can take your rightful place amongst the Guardians."

The room filled with chatter after her decision. As I went to speak with Alberta, my mom grabbed my arm and pulled me in the other direction. When we were outside, she let me go. "You need to get some rest before tomorrow. They're not going to be easy on you just because you've been out in the world. If anything, they'll be harder."

I nodded my head. "Okay." She squeezed my shoulder and went back inside, leaving me to my own devices. I had no plans in going to my room though; instead I headed to the Moroi girls' dorms.

It was empty, which didn't surprise me since it was around midnight for the Moroi. Even the dorm matron has started to fall asleep. No one even noticed me slip up the stairs.

I took a deep breath in front of her door and knocked on it. There was the sound of a chair scraping across the floor, then some footsteps. Always the studious one, I thought to myself.

When she opened the door, she looked shocked. "Rose, what are you doing here?"

I could feel her trepidation through the bond. "Are you busy?" I asked. "I'd like to talk."

She nodded her head and stepped aside so I could come in. Her hair was a halo around her face and I felt my heart beat in my chest. I had missed her so much. "I'm sorry." I blurted out once the door was closed. "I should have called for you. I really should have. I just…I just couldn't then. Lissa, I'm so sorry."

The hurt look in her eyes was softened. "I'm sorry too, Rose. I shouldn't have reacted like that. I should have understood that you were hurting and not gotten so angry. I also should have seen how you felt about Dimitri, but I was too absorbed with myself to realize what was right in front of my eyes."

I wasted no time in crossing the room and pulling my best friend into my arms. We were both in tears as we clung to each other. After a few moments, we broke away.

Then we sat down and I told her everything. I told her about the first training session with Dimitri and the lust charm. About our conversations and why I loved him. I told her about Russia and being held captive. About how Dimitri treated me, and finally of the escape.

She didn't say anything as I told her, but I could feel her heart breaking for me through the bond. When I cried, she held me and grasped my hand when I struggled through bits. After I had told her everything, I felt a thousand times better and I felt closer to her.

I remembered then why we were friends. How we were the ones who made each other stronger.

When we had finished talking about me, we talked about her and about how things were going with school and Christian. Her and Adrian had made significant headway with their spirit training and they had found and old stash of books about St. Vladimir and Anna. She was even beginning to see auras and it was exciting her.

It was bitter sweet when I said goodbye, but I knew I needed to get home and get some rest for the Trials. Truth be told, I felt like I was going to fall over. Maybe I did need to be in the hospital for those three days.

The intense smell of cloves hit me when I exited Lissa's dorm. "Little Dhampir." Adrian's warm voice called from the shadows of the building. I felt a warm feeling rise in my chest at the sight of him.

"I thought you were giving those up?" He laughed at me. He pushed his chocolate brown hair out of his face as he put out the cigarette and came over to me.

"I couldn't possibly while I'm around you." I smiled. While I hated his stupid habit, there was something comforting about him caring so much for me that I affected him. No, I wasn't going to think like that. "I heard that you're going to get to take part in the Trials."

I nodded. "Yeah. Their tomorrow morning."

"Then you should be getting into bed, shouldn't you?"

"The great partier Adrian Ivashkov is telling me to get to bed?" I feigned mock surprise.

He ran his hand through his hair again and laughed softly. "I guess times are changing aren't they."

"Yes. I guess they are." I looked down at my feet and my pant covered legs. A gentle hand reached out and touched my cheek. Without thinking, I stepped forward into Adrian's welcoming arms.

"You're going to do great, Little Dhampir." He whispered against my ear as he gently stroked my hair.

He had become my rock since I had come home. Hell, since I'd left the Academy. If it wouldn't have been for him funding my trip, I would have never found Dimitri. Would have never staked him.

The feeling of Adrian's arms around me was warm. It was nice.

000

I was up at eight o'clock the next morning for my Trials. I had always heard that most people had a nervous energy on Trial day, but I didn't. I was completely calm. It was actually kind of scary how at ease I felt.

Don't get me wrong, it's not an arrogant calm. Just that I am unafraid. I feel that no matter what they put in front of me can't be any worse than the real thing. Nothing will ever be harder than my time in Russia.

I walked to the make shift stadium that they set up every year for the Trials to be held in. It was massive and looked like what the Gladiators would have fought in, which was ironic since we were battling imitations of things that wished to kill us. Spectators would even we watching from the stands that rose above the arena.

Stan was ushering in the Dhampir students at the entrance to the area where we waited for our names to be called. It was underneath the stands in a small dugout like area. Very Gladiator-like. He gave me a firm look as I approached. "You're actually early for once, Ms. Hathaway."

"Turned over a new leaf." I walked past him without a second glance, but I could feel his eyes watching me.

No one had seen me since before I left for Russia, and from the looks on their faces I could tell they hadn't ever expected me back. Eddie came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder, scaring the absolute bejesus out of me. I spun around and grabbed him by the throat, but when I realized who it was I dropped it.

"Whoa Rose, guess Russia really did a number on you." He smiled at me and pulled me into a hug.

"Sorry I tried to kill you." I laughed as I hugged him back. "You really shouldn't scare a girl like that."

He pulled back and smiled that reserved smile he had. The one that only came around after Mason's death. A cold shiver ran down my back as I thought of Mason's face as the Strigoi snapped his neck.

I tried to smile back to him, but I didn't get a chance to. Alberta's voice rang out through the dugout. "Alright Novices! This is the day you've been waiting for your whole school career. Today will shape what the rest of your life will become. Do well today and you might serve to a royal. Do poorly and your charge will reflect that. We're going to start calling out names now. Do your best and remember what you've learned. Eddie Castile, you're first."

I patted his shoulder and I could see the nervous energy in him that I'd been told came with the Trials. "You'll do fine." I told him.

He nodded and walked toward the entrance to the arena. With every step he composed himself better. With every step, he walked closer to his dreams. To the dreams that we all shared.

**Adrian's POV**

Rose's Trials were this morning and I had even pulled myself out of bed at this ungodly hour for them. I was quite excited to see Rose run hers. I knew she would pass with flying colours but it was always entertaining to watch her. She was kind of a badass when she was in the ring. A fleeting thought about how she was the Goddess to Belikov's God status made me cringe.

I was halfway to the stadium when I ran into one of my many cousins. She was at the Academy with her husband to find another guardian to join their household. I was about to brush her off, but I stopped suddenly in my tracks when I saw her aura.

"Arianna!" I called to her. She turned to me and smiled politely. I approached her, my eyes focused on her aura rather than her face.

"Adrian, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Arianna, have you and Dane had any news lately?" I smiled at her charmingly, speaking to her with a tone of knowing.

She laughed. "I guess the cat's out of the bag. We're expecting again. That's why we're here to find another guardian." She tenderly rubbed her hand over her stomach which I noticed now was slightly bulging underneath her flowing dress.

I didn't hear a word she said afterwards. My face had gone pale as the implications of what she'd said seeped in. "Adrian, are you okay?" She reached out and gently touched my shoulder.

"Yes. Yes, I'm alright. I just suddenly don't feel well. Congratulations, to you and Dane both." I took off toward the stadium at a jogging pace. My head couldn't piece together what I had just found out. It wasn't possible. There was no way it was possible.

When I reached the stands, I saw Janine and Abe sitting together. Thankfully, Lissa wasn't there yet. "Abe, can I talk to you alone?" He was the only one other than Lissa and me that knew the secrets of Russia, Rose had told me that last night before we parted.

Janine looked up at me with a calculated guardian look. "Why would you want to do that, Mr. Adrian?"

Abe's hand on Janine's shoulder stopped her questioning. There must have been a wild look in my eyes when his met mine. "It's quite alright Janine. It must be quite important for him to approach me. Let's go over there where it's quiet."

**Abe's POV**

When Adrian Ivashkov had come running up the stairs of the stands toward me, he looked like he had seen a ghost. I led him to a corner underneath the stands that was quiet and out of earshot. He was trembling by the time we arrived.

"What does this concern, Mr. Ivashkov?" The boy looked like he was going to explode. It must have been quite the secret he needed to tell me.

"It's about Rose." He looked straight into my eyes. "She told me that you know, you know of Russia." My curiosity was peeked, now.

"Yes. I know of what happened in Russia." I eyed him to make sure we were talking of the same set of events. With how he trembled, I could only gather yes.

"I, I spoke to Rose the night that you came and got me from my room about what had happened and I noticed that there was something off with her aura. It was different. A different that I had never seen before." He sounded like a drunken idiot. With spilling on about auras, that must mean he is a spirit user like the Dragomir princess. Useless words continued to tumble out of his mouth; I was getting annoyed.

"Out with it, boy!" I said adamantly.

"Rose is pregnant." He blurted.

Shock radiated through my body. "That's impossible." I scoffed.

"That's what I had thought, but then I ran into my cousin and she had an identical aura to Rose. Her own aura shadowed by that of her husband's. Rose's is shadowed by that of Guardian Belikov's." The boy spat the Russian's name.

"Are you positive? He was a Strigoi, such a thing is unheard of."

"There's no other explanation. She and him shared a moment the night of the attack on the Academy, but he was a Dhampir then and it was too long ago for her to not know." He was shaking more. It seemed as if it was a mix of anger and uneasiness.

Anger gripped me. That damned Russian had not only raped by daughter, but also impregnated her. And with a child that should not be possible in the first place! I slammed my fist into the brick of the wall on the other side of Adrian's head, a guttural growl escaping my lips. "If that fucker wasn't dead I would kill him myself." I screamed furiously.

Adrian jumped in surprise, but nodded his head. "I would join you without a second thought. I thought it was bad enough that he, that he had touched her the way he had, but now this?"

"No one can know." I came within inches of the boy's face. "If anyone were to find out that Rose is pregnant with the child of a Strigoi there would be chaos. They would kill it or research it with no questions asked."

"How do you purpose we hide that she is pregnant weeks after she returned from Russia? Especially when she is sent to Court with Lissa?"

"You. You will claim that you are the Father to society. It will tarnish Rose's reputation, but no one will expect any less. It is believable." I stepped back from him as I saw his face drain of color even farther.

We were silent for many moments before he responded. "I'll do it." He said softly.

"Rose Hathaway." The loud speakers rang out around the stadium, breaking us from our silence. It was Rose's turn to run the arena and claim her status as a Guardian.

**Adrian's POV**

Janine eyed Abe and I closely when we took our seat next to her. Lissa and Christian had joined her while we were gone and smiled over at us. My heart was still pounding from my revelation to Abe. He was sitting next to me, exhuming anger. Janine could sense it, but she didn't say anything.

Instead we all turned our eyes to Rose who had just entered the arena. She looked confident. Ready. She took action.

She had a task to reach the other side of the arena, defending herself against 'Strigoi' as she went. At various obstacles she would be given a Moroi to defend.

I couldn't see any of that though. I could only see her aura that flamed about her like a bonfire. Now that I knew what it meant, it sickened me. Her trials passed in a blur for me until I saw her reaching a bridge. She flinched for a moment when she neared it, but no one else seemed to see it.

For this task she was given a 'Moroi' charge and she was coaxing him to follow her across it. Halfway over it, two 'Strigoi' flanked her rear and one more charged from ahead. She was still coaxing her charge to speed up as the 'Strigoi' neared on them. Finally, he picked up his pace. The 'Strigoi' were on the bridge then and her charge dropped to the railing of the bridge clinging for dear life.

She said something to him and then she started shouting at him. She turned and said something to him again and then she did something no expected. She cut the ropes of the bridge. It was a six-foot drop to the bottom and if her Moroi fell, she would fail her Trials.

The two 'Strigoi' on her rear fell from the bridge in surprise, but her and her 'Moroi' clung to the ropes. She said something to her charge and then climbed the bridge like a ladder. The 'Strigoi' at her front hadn't fallen off the bridge, but he was clinging to the ropes ahead of her. Rose grabbed hold of his leg and scuffled with him for a moment before she saw and opening and 'staked' him. She coaxed her 'Moroi' up from the bridge after her then, but I was transfixed on her.

She was beautiful. She had pushed past her pain and taken these Trials even though she could have just as easily given up. I knew she was still bruised and hurting from her encounter with Dimitri, but she still took every punch and kick stoically.

When she reached the end of her Trials she stood there transfixed. Almost like she couldn't believe it was over. "Damn." Abe swore with pride next to me. Rose turned and looked up at the stands, locking eyes with me.

My stomach did a sickening flip. I was going to have to tell her what I had learned today. Afterwards, the Trials that she had just been through would look like child's play.

**Stay Tuned Guys! **

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	5. Alive

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's my new chapter. =)**

**I hope you like it! **

**Alive**

My neck still stung a little bit from the Promise Mark I'd had tattooed there a few minutes ago. I was a guardian now. I'd done it. Suck that Stan!

I stood straighter than I ever had, completely filled with pride as I watched the rest of my classmates receive their mark. Eddie especially deserved it and I knew he was thinking of Mason and the rest of the friends we'd lost as he received his tattoo. Just like I had.

I turned my eyes to my family and friends sitting or standing in the tent that we used to hold the ceremony. Lissa and Christian weren't among them because they had to be at their Moroi ceremony, but I could feel the warmth from Lissa coming through the bond. Adrian and my parents were here for me though.

They looked…uneasy. Especially Adrian and Abe who had these looks of dread and anger written all over their faces. Mom just looked curious, a bit annoyed, and hella proud. And they were all looking at me. Great.

Fuck, what had I done now?

When the ceremony finished, I went over to them. I smiled at Adrian but he wouldn't meet my eyes, not a good sign. When I looked to my father, he clenched his fists and tried to give me a proud fatherly look. Mom, though, mom beamed at me.

"Congratulations Rose. I'm so proud of you." She took my hand and gave it a squeeze. My heart swelled more than I'd ever admit at that show of parental pride. "You're one of us now."

"Thanks Mom." I smiled back. I don't think I couldn't stop smiling today. I was so happy. "You guys, though," I turned to the two men staring down at me, "what is going on with you guys?"

"I would like an answer to that too." Mom said, her curiosity winning out over her guardian composure. She always hated being left out of the loop.

Adrian went to open his mouth, but my father clasped his hand on his shoulder. "Now is not the time, Rose." Adrian looked like he wanted to puke.

"Old man, you better tell me now or I'm going to get upset. You guys are bringing down my mood." I put my hands on my hips, and almost regretted it when I saw Adrian pale further.

I felt Abe grab my arm, though, and lead me out of the tent through the side. Adrian followed close behind him and I could see my mother trying to come along. "Janine. Stay." He barked and, for the first time in my life, I saw my mom look taken aback. Damn, this was serious.

She didn't attempt to come with us though. My father drug me to a conference room adjacent to the Guardians headquarters. Once the door was shut behind me, I jerked my arm out of his grasp.

"Tell me what the hell is wrong with you two. What is so important it couldn't wait for another day?" I almost shouted as I spun on them. I wasn't angry, but I was a bit annoyed. Today was supposed to be all about celebration and enjoying my new status as a Guardian. From the looks on both of their faces though, there was going to be no celebrating.

There was dead silence for a minute as Adrian fiddled with his hands and finally pulled out a cigarette from his breast pocket. Abe eyed him with a neutral face, or as neutral of one as he could muster. Adrian finally began speaking, "Rose…you see...remember when I told you about your aura? Well it's been really weird and I saw my cousin had the same aura. Well, I don't really like what it could mean and it seems like it's pretty accurate an-"

Abe cut him off with a lifted hand and an angry look. "For fucks sake boy. Rose, you're pregnant." He clenched his hands into fists, which was quite a hilarious sight when paired with his neon green polka dotted scarf. I was past that though.

Rather, I was laughing. I was laughing so hard I was crying. When I felt my ass hit the floor I only laughed harder. "Oh my God. You guys are hilarious. Pregnant? Me? With whose baby?" They exchanged a look but didn't laugh. "You're joking right?" I looked up at them from the ground when I didn't hear them join me. "Guys, you're joking, right?"

"No, Rose. We're not." My father said with a stone cold face.

I sobered. "I have never been with a Moroi, Dad." I had never called him that, but it slipped out in that moment. I needed him to understand what I was saying.

"I know." Adrian said. He was pale again, paler actually.

"I don't think you do, Adrian. I have never ever been with a Moroi. It's not possible for a Dhampir to get pregnant with anyone other than a Moroi. So hence there is no way I can be pregnant." I lifted myself from the floor and dusted myself off; as I did a short fiery haired figure rounded the corner in a huff.

"What the hell is going on? Pregnant! Rose, you just got your Guardian status!" My mother was a short fiery ball of fire standing in front of the three of us. She had obviously been sitting around the corner of the building listening to our discussion. Normally, I'd be pissed, but right now I could use her back up.

"Mom, tell them it's not possible. I have never, never been with a Moroi. It is impossible." I was almost pleading with them now. I looked nothing like the Guardian I had just been given the title of, but my mom had to believe me.

She eyed me carefully. "Why do you guys even think Rose is pregnant?" She asked diplomatically, she had slipped her guardian face back on.

"Her aura!" Adrian finally shouted out after he put out his cigarette. "It's the same as my cousin's and she is pregnant. I had never seen that aura before I saw it on Rose the day I came to see her in hospital, but on the way to the Trials my cousin and I spoke and she had the same aura. She hadn't even announced her pregnancy yet." He emphasized the last bit.

"You could be wrong." My mother said flatly.

"My aura reading is never wrong." Adrian challenged.

"If you're so all knowing then Adrian, whose the father?" I felt annoyed and angry. He was wrong. Both of them were wrong.

"You know who, Little Girl." My father eyed me and I saw his hands clench again but he looked like the monster his name proclaimed him to be. There was an anger in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. He was angrier than when I refused to leave Russia.

It took me longer than it should have to realize who he was talking about. What he was talking about. "That's not possible."

"It obviously is Rose!" Adrian cried out. "I don't know how but it is." He raked his hands through his hair and I could see he was desperate for a drink.

"What are you three talking about!" My mother said, getting upset. "You have been hiding something from me since I got back from Russia and I want to know what it is."

I hadn't heard her though. I was still processing what my father and Adrian were implying. I leaned my back against the wall and looked down at my wrists that were still badly bruised from where he had held me down. "It's not possible." I repeated.

I felt two strong hands take my shoulders and shake me softly. "Rose." I snapped my eyes up to those of my father's. A mirrored image of mine. "I wouldn't have told you if I didn't believe him." He gestured at Adrian. "Everything that's happened, we thought was impossible. What would make this any different?" His voice was gentle, very parental.

I felt the tears come and I broke. "I don't want to believe you."

I felt his arms pull me against his chest and I smelt the spice cologne that he wore. "You're going to have to. You're carrying a child that could destroy the Moroi world, Rose." He sounded so serious.

**Abe's POV**

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Janine said again. She was looking directly at me as I held our daughter in my arms. I knew Rose didn't want anyone more to know than they had to, but we didn't really have a choice. Rose was using all of my sentimentality up by crying into my favorite scarf. Just another piece of clothing she'd ruined.

"Rose was raped in Russia, Janine." I said, the very words making my blood boil. I subconsciously held Rose to me tighter as I said the words.

Janine's face paled slightly and I saw the mask that she wore so well crack for a moment. "How do you know that?" She was grasping, looking for a way to deny it. She loved Rose and I could tell there was no way she wanted to believe someone could violate our daughter. Our daughter who had killed over ten Strigoi.

I lifted the side of Rose's shirt and a yellow bruise in the shape of the hand stood out starkly against her tanned skin. She flinched against me as I bared her mark to her mother. "Pair that with the bruises on her legs and I had already suspected when I found her in Novosibirsk. The Doctor here at the Academy confirmed it when she examined her."

"Why did-" She was going to question why the doctor had told me, but I shot her a dark look that cut her off. She gathered her thoughts from the information she'd been told. "Who?" She finally mustered out, but I could tell she had a suspicion.

I felt Rose pull away from me. Her tears were dry against her cheeks and she looked at her mother with the poise of a seasoned Guardian. Her voice didn't shake as she delivered his name. "Dimitri. Mom, Dimitri raped me in Russia while he was a Strigoi." I knew she was hurt inside, but I was proud of her for her composure. Other girls, not to mention guardians, would not be fairing half as well in her position.

"What? How?" She looked incredulous. "Strigoi don't…" She cut herself off. She was realizing why we were all talking about the impossibility of what had happened. The ridiculousness of what we were suggesting was wearing at her as well.

"Have sex?" Rose said bluntly. "They do. Dimitri was quite clear about it when he held me. We just don't really see that part of their…existence." She chose her words carefully. "We just stake and move on. How it could even be possible for a Strigoi to father a child? Well I can't answer that. I still can't believe it myself."

I could see disgust cross Janine's face. Rose and Adrian didn't catch it, but I knew it wasn't directed at Rose. It was directed at that Strigoi that touched her. He didn't have a name. No one with a soul would still be alive for touching my daughter the way that thing had.

"But they're not alive." She finally said after chewing on the information. "Their seed isn't viable."

"Rose is shadow-kissed, though." The boy finally said. He had smoked a few more cigarettes while Janine and Rose exchanged their conversation. We all turned and looked at Adrian with an incredulous look. No one had even considered the possibility.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Rose asked.

"I don't know, but Rose, what else could it be?" He stepped forward and touched her arm gently. "Your bond with Lissa, your ability to see ghosts, all of those abilities were new for us. We still don't understand Spirit and the ability to be Shadow-Kissed. So why couldn't this be possible? Your aura is already bordered by shadows, you already touch death." His spirit was overwhelming him. I could hear it in the shaking of his voice. I could see his affection for Rose coming through his oncoming madness.

I was beginning to like this boy more.

We all stood in silence for a long couple minutes. "Do we have any other proof other than the fact that Adrian says her aura matches his cousin's?" Janine asked.

"No. It's only been a week though since everything happened." Rose said calmly. I eyed her suspiciously. I could see now that she was in shock. She would crash when she was alone.

"A blood test would still show the increase in hormones. We'll run it tomorrow with a false name at the lab." I said confidently.

Everyone nodded in agreement. "That would be best." Janine said, she looked at me with a face that said she would be speaking with me once we were alone. A normal man would have been scared by that look, but I'd seen her with her clothes off. So she wasn't as intimidating anymore.

"Adrian." The boy turned and looked at me, madness brimming in the corner of his eyes. "Take Rose back to your room. I don't want her alone tonight." He nodded and wrapped his hand around hers. Rose went to jerk away, a cocky response on her lips. "Not now, Rose. You go with him. Being alone isn't an option right now." I cut at her sharply. Reluctantly, she obeyed and followed his away, but she turned and looked at me before they rounded the corner. My strong Rose looked scared.

"Ibraham, I want the full story. What the hell happened to our daughter in Russia?" My former flame turned on me as soon as Rose and Adrian were out of earshot, looking just like a fiery Irish warrior out for blood.

"The only part we left out was what that Strigoi did to her while he held her captive. He fed from her and he raped her." The anger was returning now that Rose was gone. "That fucking Strigoi is lucky she staked him herself."

"Damn right he is." Janine said angrily. The shock of the news she'd heard was being pushed behind her fury. "To think her mentor would do that, even if he was Strigoi. It's hard to believe he could do that to a child he trained."

I laughed at that. "She is no longer a child, Janine. She hasn't been for a long time."

She gave me a cross look. "Is that all you've kept from me?"

"Yes."

"If you are right about this, how are you going to explain the child?" She had realized the same thing Adrian and I had. If the child Rose carried was indeed a child fathered by a Strigoi, it could spell disaster for the Moroi world.

"Adrian has already agreed to take responsibility for the child." I wouldn't have given him much of a choice in the matter regardless, but I was thankful that he had.

Janine scoffed. "At least it is a believable cover story. It has already been rumored they've slept together." She shifted her weight uncomfortably. I knew the information from today was bothering her more than she was letting on. "How could this have happened, Abe?" She said softly.

"How does anything ever happen with Rosemarie?" She cracked a small smile. Our daughter was definitely a troublesome girl.

Janine reached out and squeezed my hand then left. I straightened out my suit jacket and looked at my scarf.

I was relieved to realize Rose hadn't stained it.

**Rose's POV**

I was still reeling. I could feel the pressure of Adrian's hand dragging me toward the Moroi guest rooms, but I was numb. Pregnant, that wasn't word I thought I'd ever hear in my life. Especially not with Dimitri's name attached as the father.

As we passed by my dorms, I jerked to a halt subconsciously. "I need to get my stuff, okay?" I said softly. He nodded and led me over there. He wasn't going to let me out of his sight.

I could see the madness bordering him. He was on the edge of falling over into that darkness that was so debilitating. The smell of clove cigarettes wafted off of him like a haze, but there was no way I was going to scold him about how many he'd had tonight. After the news I'd received I could use one too. Or a drink. A drink would be good.

We were at my door before I realized it and I came to a sudden stop when I entered my room. On my bed sat a manila enveloped package. Adrian watched me carefully as I walked over to it. There was no return address, but I could see the Russian stamps and postmarks on the top.

An uneasy feeling spread across my chest, burying the one that I already felt from earlier. Nausea washed over me like a waterfall.

I picked it up with shaking hands and opened it with care. I didn't know who to expect it to be from, but I couldn't be good. A silver stake fell out into my hand and I recognized it. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground along with it and I heard Adrian curse as he picked it up.

But I didn't need to see the signature attached to it to know who it was from. I recognized the ornate stake in my hand. Memories of the bridge washed over me and I began trembling more.

I took the card from Adrian without looking at him and saw the delicate cursive spanning the tiny white cardstock.

_My dear Roza, _

_I heard that your Trials went beautifully, but what more could I expect_

_from my best student? It seems you take to whatever I teach you._

_Oh, all except getting that stake all the way through my heart. _

_What was Rule number one Roza?_

_Maybe though, maybe you were still worn out from our lovemaking._

_I'm coming, Roza. I'm coming back for you._

_You will join me and we will rule, Roza. _

_I love you._

_ Your love, Dimitri_

Adrian took the card and the stake from my hands and put them on the bed. I had no strength to fight him. I hadn't realized I'd begun sobbing, but he had. He pulled me against his chest before I could hit the ground. His phone was to his ear, Abe's voice picking up the receiver. "Get to Rose's room, now. We'll be in mine after you've visited it."

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	6. Warmth

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's the new chapter. It's a bit short, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless!**

**For all of you guys that are a bit confused about the pairing here. It is a Rose Dimitri but just like in the books, there is the Rose Adrian aspect. I did not specify the pairing deliberately for this reason. I am sorry if I have upset some readers for this, but I hope you will continue reading to see what happens at the end. **

**Please, enjoy!**

**Abe's POV**

The cell phone went dead against my ear. That insolent boy had just hung up on me! After he had given me an order, nonetheless. I would strangle him if this turned out to be nothing. No one order's Zmey around. No one.

"Janine!" I called. I knew she hadn't gotten far around the corner she'd just rounded. I walked to the other side of the building and saw her five feet away. "You need to come with me. The royal boy just called and said we needed to get to Rose's room."

She lifted her brows and nodded. We both took off at a brisk walk across the campus to the Dhampir dorms. When we got to her room, we went straight in. We both looked around, we didn't know what to expect.

I noticed the stake and envelope on Rose's bed first. I tensed when I saw the card next to it with elegant cursive writing on it. "Janine." I said absently as I picked up the card and read it.

"Son of a bitch." I yelled as I threw it back on the bed. Rage was boiling just under the surface of my tailored suit.

Janine, who had been looking over the stake, took the card and read it over as well., her face paling slightly. "He's alive. Shit."

Janine and I exchanged a long look. "Rose." I barely had a lid on my anger, but I had to think about her for once. There was no way she was coping with this news. It added along with being told she was pregnant with his child and him taunting her about what he'd done to her. I clenched my fists tightly and felt the need to lash out building inside of me.

I felt a gentle hand on my arm. "Don't do anything brash, Ibraham, and don't send your boys for him." She'd read my mind. "You don't know him like Rose and I do. He was unstoppable as a Guardian, but as a Strigoi I could only imagine him being worse."

There was a grim look on her face. It was dark and she seemed disturbed, but what mother wouldn't be after finding out her child's rapist was still alive and coming for her. Not to mention he's a blood thirsty killer, literally.

"Let's get to Adrian's room then."

When we got to his room, we didn't even have a chance to knock. Adrian swung the door open and looked even worse than he had when we told Rose she was pregnant. The madness was very close to over taking him. "She's just passed out."

**Rose's POV**

This must be what Lissa's madness felt like to her. A darkness seeping in and gripping your very soul, making you feel like you had been destroyed and shredded.

Adrian had lead me to his room while I was still in shock over the package, but I had started to come out of it slowly once we got to his room. I had started shaking first. Uncontrollably shaking, like every muscle in my body was being plucked like a guitar string. Adrian had sat me on the bed and tried to talk to me, but I couldn't hear anything coming out of his mouth. I could only hear the sound of blood pumping behind my ears.

My breathing was labored and fast. I was going to fall over the edge. I was going to lose myself. The room was spinning, but I couldn't cry. I was too shocked for that. I was sure Adrian was touching me, trying to pull my attention to him, but I couldn't see anything. I could only see Dimitri.

Dimitri.

Dimitri.

Strigoi.

I screamed as an image of his fangs coming toward me filled my mental eye. I don't remember what happened next, but I must have passed out because darkness enveloped me. I fell into a dream that was too like reality, it was like falling into Alice's Wonderland.

His sweet face was the first thing I saw. Normal pallor, flushed checks, his smile that I loved to see, and his warm eyes. His warm, non-red eyes. "Dimitri." I whispered as I stepped toward him.

"Roza," he breathed softly as he cupped my cheeks in his hands. He gently ran his thumbs over my cheeks and I could smell his aftershave. He was warm and solid. Everything that had happened before was just a dream. He wasn't a Strigoi. I wasn't pregnant.

"My beautiful Roza." His words tickled my lips as he gently pressed his to mine. His warmth enveloped me, and I clung to him like a drowning person clung to a life raft. I kissed him with every ounce of life in me. I couldn't lose him again. This was reality.

His lips broke away from mine and I felt him kiss from my lips to my jaw to my neck. "Roza." He whispered again and I felt like I was going to fall into a sea of ecstasy. I loved this man. I loved him more than anything.

My illusion was shattered as a pair of sharp fangs pierced my skin. "Dimitri!" I screamed. The normal endorphin rush of pleasure that came after a bite never came. Instead, I felt like I was dying. "Dimitri! Dimitri! Stop!" I pushed against him with all of my might. I couldn't die like this.

He pulled back and I screamed. His eyes were the cold, calculating red of a Strigoi and he was paler than a ghost. Blood ran down his jaw from my neck and his fangs were visible, blood coating them.

His hands reached out for my face again. "Join me, Roza. Eternity with me will be the best decision of your life."

A blood-curdling scream ripped through my lips as I tried to get away from him. A set of firm hands pulled me away from him.

"Rose, Rose." A warm, worried voice said. He was shaking me gently. "It's just a dream. Wake up."

I opened my eyes to meet Adrian's emerald green ones. Tears streamed from my eyes and I clung to him. I clung to him tighter than I'd ever clung to anything. "Adrian. Oh, God. Adrian."

"Shh. Shh. I'm right here Rose. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. I promise." Adrian's voice was warm against my ear. I pulled out of his arms and looked at his face. I needed to see his face.

His eyes were worried, but it seemed the madness had started to dissipate while I slept. His eyes, his green eyes were what I needed to see. They were warm, not cold. I needed to see the warmth.

I cupped his cheeks and moved closer until I was a hairs breath away from him. "Rose…" He whispered softly. My eyes roamed over his features. They were soft, angular, but soft. There was no trace of Strigoi in his features. Adrian was Moroi through and through. He was safe.

I needed to get rid of this feeling inside of me. I pulled Adrian's face to mine and pressed my lips to his. He froze for a fraction of a second before he pulled me tight against him and kissed me back. I felt like I was using him, using him to chase away the demon, but I didn't care right now. I was desperate, desperate to erase my memories of Dimitri.

I pulled myself into his lap and wrapped my arms tight around his neck, my hands tangling in his chocolate hair. His hands came up into mine and he gently brought them through my hair and against my scalp. It was nice. Warm.

His shirt was in the way. I wanted to feel the warmth of his skin. Anything to chase away this ice cold feeling that was clinging to my skin. I unbuttoned his shirt and pressed myself closer to him.

Not good enough, my shirt was in the way. I pulled my lips away from his and pulled my shirt over my head. I brought my lips back to his hungrily and pressed against him until it was almost painful. "Rose." Adrian said against my lips. He pulled back, his hands on my waist.

"Don't pull away from me Adrian, please. I need you." I whispered. His hands were firm on my shoulders though, pulling me back. I looked at him and I could see he was holding himself back. He didn't want to stop either.

He kicked his shoes off and lay in the bed next to me, pulling me down next to him. "You need warmth, right?" I looked up at him and nodded. "Then come here." He pulled me so that my head rested in the crook of his shoulder. I nuzzled myself into his chest and he held me close to him. "I'll keep you safe, Rose." He kissed the top of my head gently.

I nodded and closed my eyes. I knew Adrian would keep any dreams I had at bay by watching me. I could already feel the effects of his spirit calming me as he stroked my hair softly. He was such a good guy.

**Adrian's POV**

I looked down at the woman sleeping against my shoulder. God, she was beautiful. My heart was still racing from her touch, and I was desperate to continue with it, but I knew she was in no mental condition to be doing anything along those lines. It had taken a lot of willpower to stop her from going any further.

I brushed a strand of hair out of her face and carefully slid from under her, focusing my spirit on making her stay asleep. I needed a smoke and a drink. Tonight's news had been too much for me and I could feel the madness there.

As I lit my cigarette, I poured myself a strong glass of whiskey. I took a quick puff and then downed the drink in one go. Damn it. I threw the glass against the wall, shattering it. Rose didn't even stir.

The anger and despair was raging right under my skin. He couldn't be alive. Dimitri Belikov needed to stay dead. Dead and in the ground. Far, far away from Rose and the child she now carried. I looked over at her and saw her aura glowing brightly, his still clinging to the shadows that always grasped at her. It made me sick to see it. To see any part of him clinging to her.

He had never been good enough for her, and now he really wasn't. Rose may be able to separate the fact that he was a Strigoi when he hurt her, but I would never. Strigoi or not, Dimitri Belikov had no right to be anywhere near her. He never had.

God, I hated that man. Mainly because he had gotten Rose.

I looked over at her sleeping frame nestled into my bed again. I couldn't loose her. I didn't care if I had to claim her child as my own forever, I would take care of her. I would protect her child and raise it as my own blood. No one would ever know the difference.

I grabbed the bottle next to me and drank straight from it. I couldn't cope right now. Couldn't stomach these feelings that I had. I couldn't even taste the liquid that was burning down my throat.

I was scared. I finally admitted to myself. That was the feeling that I couldn't understand and didn't want to acknowledge. I was scared I was going to lose Rose to that monster.

There was no way he would ever be a Dhampir again, but I knew that if he could go back to his old self Rose would be back in arms again.

Even though he'd raped her and hurt her.

I knew in my heart that she would run straight back into his arms if he was a Dhampir again.

**Abe's POV**

The Ivashkov boy had sent us away shortly after he explained what had happened in Rose's dorm. The implications of what she'd been said had been unspoken. I was fuming quietly beside Janine as we walked around the campus. Neither one of us could stand to be confined to a room right now.

I looked over at Janine in the dawn light. Everyone had just gotten out of the Guardian Graduation party and were stumbling home, but we didn't pay them any mind. I could see the rage and frustration that I felt echoed in her tiny frame.

"Abe, how could this have happened?" She said quietly. There was no weakness in her voice, just steel. She wasn't going to break. "I worked and fought alongside him. He mentored Rose, why would he be so fixated on her now that he's a Strigoi? I've heard about Strigoi going after their old flames from before they were turned, but never anything like this."

I realized then that she didn't know. I felt a feeling of smugness rise up within me at the fact that I had realized something about our daughter's life before she did. Rose had even been pretty clear when she'd been in the hospital about her relationship with her mentor. How could Janine have missed this?

"He was in love with her Janine." She stopped dead in her tracks and spun on me.

"What?" She snapped. I almost laughed. She was about to start taking her frustration out on me. Her eyebrows twitched.

"Dimitri and Rose were," I held my fingers up and intertwined them, "together." Her face twisted and I did actually laugh. "God Janine, how could you not have realized it?"

After a moment of shock, she recovered and almost exploded at me. "On campus? While he was her mentor? She was underage!" She was grasping for words as her anger wrapped its way over her tongue.

She turned and punched a tree that was next to her. I laughed out loud watching her. It was a welcome feeling, this amusement at watching her get upset. I had been upset when I had first found out, but I had no reason to think anything of it now. The man that she had known was gone.

"Why are you laughing!" She demanded, but it only made me laugh harder.

"You, my dear." I took her arms in my hands. "You are adorable when get fired up like this."

She flushed for a moment and took a deep breath, composing herself before she said something she'd regret. "If she's anything like you, she probably chased him until he had no other option."

She punched me in the arm. "That, was different."

I laughed and then we both went silent. The moment was over.

"Abe, we have to find him before he finds her. I know Rose will want to run out guns blazing, but with his obsession…What if he reaches the same conclusion we have about the child she's carrying?" She turned away from me and paced. We hadn't discussed the child Rose was carrying, but we had both pieced together that the child would be something none of us had seen before.

"Then he'd try to take her, and we have no idea what would happen then. He's already obsessed with her and after Russia it's quite clear he'd do anything to keep her by his side." I started to pull my cell phone out of my breast pocket. I needed to make some calls; there was no way I was going to let that Russian step foot on American soil.

I had a face of calm on, even though I was absolutely fuming on the inside. Janine's face was a mirror of mine, a guardian through and through. "Do it." She said.

A inserted a familiar number into my phone. "I need you to find a Strigoi. Monitor him, but if you have an opportunity, take him down."

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